P4 Visa (Dependents of P1, P2 or P3 Holders)

The P4 visa is intended for spouses and dependent children younger than 21 years old of P visa holders. It allows them to come to the US to live with the family member who is there on a P visa such as the P1 Visa for Athletes, the P2 Visa for Reciprocal Exchange Program Performers, or the P3 Visa for Artists.

Those who successfully obtain the P4 Visa have the right to stay in the US for as long as the P visa of the principal visa holder is valid. While in the US, they are allowed to study but they do not automatically get the right to work. If they want to seek employment in the US, they need to apply for the Employment Authorization Document.

Unfortunately, other family members such as parents or siblings are not eligible for the P4 Visa.

If your family member is in the US on a P visa and you want to join them in the country, get in touch with our lawyers. They can assess your eligibility for the P4 Visa and can guide you through the application process.

Page Contents

• What is the P4 Visa?
• What are the eligibility requirements for the P4 Visa?
• What is the application process for the P4 Visa?
• What supporting documents are required for the P4 Visa?
• What are the costs and the validity of the P4 Visa?
• Can holders of the P4 Visa work?
• Can a child remain in the US on the P4 Visa after they turn 21?
• How Can Total Law Help?
• Frequently Asked Questions

To be able to apply for the P4 Visa, the applicant must be a spouse or a dependent child of a person who holds a P visa in the US. There are several P visas that make foreign family members eligible for the P4 Visa. These are:

• P1-A Visa (Athlete Visa) – intended for internationally recognized athletes who plan to come to the US to participate in an athletic competition or event
• P1-B Visa (For Members of an Internationally Recognized Entertainment Group) – intended for members of an internationally recognized entertainment group who want to come to the US to perform in front of an American audience
• P2 Visa (Reciprocal Exchange Program Performers) – intended for performers who wish to come to the US to perform under a reciprocal exchange program
• P3 Visa (Artists and Entertainers) – intended for artists and entertainers who plan to come to the US to take part in or develop a culturally unique program

As part of the application process, applicants must provide proof confirming their relationship to the P visa holder. Additionally, for applicants to be able to get the P4 Visa, the principal visa holder must prove that they have enough finances to support their family members after they join them in the US.

The application process starts with the primary P visa holder submitting the I-129 Petition on behalf of the family member they want to bring to the US. Once the petition is approved, the P4 Visa applicant can continue the application process by completing Form DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application.

In the form, they must provide personal details and explain the reasons for coming to the US. After the applicant submits the form, they will see a confirmation page that they must print and include in their portfolio of evidence.

After submitting the application form, applicants must pay the visa application fee. They must keep the receipt as they will have to submit it along with other supporting documents.

Then, applicants must schedule a visa interview at a US Embassy or Consulate in their home country. When they come to the interview, they must bring a portfolio of evidence confirming their eligibility for the visa.

After the interview, immigration officials will make a decision on whether to grant the P4 Visa to the applicant.

Holders of a P visa can apply for the P4 Visa for their spouse and dependent children when applying for their own P visa, or they can apply later on. Similarly, family members who obtain the P4 Visa can arrive at the same time or later as the primary P visa holder.

However, it is important to note that they cannot enter the US before the family member who holds the P Visa does.

As part of the application process, applicants must submit several documents that prove their eligibility for the P4 Visa. These include:

• Confirmation page from the DS-160 Form application
• Confirmation showing that they scheduled a visa interview
• Receipt for the visa application fee
• Passport size photograph
• Valid passport (must be valid for at least 6 months past the validity of the P visa of the principal visa holder)
• Proof of relationship to the P visa holder (for example marriage or birth certificate)
• Evidence of the immigration status of the P visa holder

The exact documents applicants must submit might vary depending on their individual circumstances. If you are planning to apply for the P4 Visa, our lawyers can help you gather all the necessary evidence.

Holders of P visas who want to bring their family members to the US are responsible for paying fees associated with the P4 Visa. These fees include:

• USD 190 for the processing of Form DS-160
• Visa issuance fees that vary depending on where the applicant applies from
• USD 2500 for premium processing (if applicable)

The fee for premium processing is not compulsory but applicants whose application is urgent might wish to use this service.

As for the validity, P4 Visas are valid for as long as the P visa of the principal visa holder is valid for. This is why the exact validity of the P4 Visa can vary.

For example, if the principal visa holder is in the US on the P1-A Visa valid for up to 5 years, their family members can get the P4 Visa valid also for up to 5 years.

At the same time, holders of the P3 Visa are allowed to stay in the US for up to 1 year so family members joining them on the P4 Visa can also remain in the country for no longer than 1 year.

Those who successfully obtain the P4 Visa have the right to study in the US full-time and part-time. Unfortunately, getting the P4 Visa does not automatically grant them the right to work.

Holders of the P4 Visa who want to work in the US must obtain employment authorization issued by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). To obtain it, they must submit Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization and gather evidence that proves their immigration status in the US.

Those who want to apply for employment authorization must also pay the following fees:

• USD 410 for the processing of the Employment Authorization Document
• USD 85 for biometrics

Applications for the Employment Authorization Document are typically processed within 5 to 7 months. The waiting time can be longer, however, if USCIS has a heavy workload. While waiting for the decision, applicants are not allowed to seek employment in the US. Doing so could lead to them facing penalties such as deportation or ineligibility to extend their visa status.

Once the application for the Employment Authorization Document is approved, the applicant gets their employment authorization card by post.

The Employment Authorization Document is initially valid for 1 year but its holders can renew it every year if they live in the US longer.

The P4 Visa is issued to spouses and dependent children younger than 21 years old of P visa holders. Unfortunately, when a child who is in the US on the P4 Visa gets older than 21, they are no longer considered as dependents of the principal visa holder. This means that they cannot keep living in the US on the P4 Visa.

To be able to remain in the US, they must change their status to a different nonimmigrant visa status. For example, they might be eligible for the F1 Student Visa allowing them to study at a university in the US.

Changing to another nonimmigrant status after turning 21 means that the applicant must prove their intention to leave the US once their visa expires.

If you are currently in the US on the P4 Visa and are about to turn 21, get in touch with our lawyers. They can assess your situation and tell you what your options to stay in the country are. They can also help you apply for your new US Visa.